Lights and Shadows of Irish Life (Volume 1)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1838. Excerpt: ... swarthy faces, would look out from the door, peer down the mountain and up at the sky, and then disappear, leaving no token even in the interior of the cottage of their almost supernatural visits; they appeared and disappeared from behind Ulick O'Sullivan'sbed, which was decently curtained by blue check, leaving no doubt that there must be a place of concealment in the immediate neighbourhood, that had, at all events, one outlet in the cottage. At last it seemed that Aileen's hopes were answered; she threw her distaff on a stone bench, which flanked the door, and uttering a wild cry that was echoed by the rocks, sprang lightly forward, now jumping upon a stone that appeared as though it would roll from beneath her feet, then clinging to a wavering broom that would have bent under a blackbird's weight, she swayed herself down and round until she stood by her brother's side; he was proceeding slowly up the steep in earnest conversation with the Griffin, who had just finished recounting the success of her yesterday's plot against poor Connor. Nothing shows the baseness of base minds so strongly as the exultation they evince at the stumbling of one of high repute, whose virtues have been, to such, a perpetual reproach. And thin, she continued, to hear how she gave it him, bidding him farewell just as the queen in a play would say, 'Get out, ye blaguard;' they little thought I was so near them! I'll tell you who was nearer Ould Nick--ould Nick--ould Nick, jibbered Aileen, as she ran backwards before them, pointing at the Griffin, with her taper finger, and laughing between her words. Come here, poor child, said Ulick, why, your eyes are red, --has Aileen been crying? The hawk flew over, the hawk flew under, The hawk was struck in his nesting-tree. A...